New Beginnings
by Goldenpetal
Summary: A new beginning for Ana Harrison after she is Marked by a Tracker, a new life and new friends. Will Ana finally feel like she fits in? Rated T for language. *I do not own the House of Night series, but I do own this story and certain characters*
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: My first House of Night fanfiction. I'm really rather proud about it, so it would be wise not to flame/criticize it. Now, constructive criticism is welcomed, but don't you DARE copy this because I will know immediately (*coughcough* Carbon Copy Alert) It's a bit similar to the first chapter in Marked, but I promise that the chapters will start to differ from the original text. So…just don't do it, and we'll be all good. Now, sit back, relax, grab whatever you want to nom on, and enjoy the story!**

~Sunny

Chapter One

I thought that my day couldn't get any worse than it was, until I caught sight of the dead guy leaning casually against my locker. Isabella was talking in her usual I-babble, and she didn't notice him at all. At first. Now that I think about it, it makes me feel better that she didn't notice the guy at first, that nobody noticed the guy at first. That just shows more of my freakish inability to fit in.

"No, but Ana, I _swear_ that Michael didn't get _that drunk_! You really shouldn't have been so hard on him."

"Yeah…" I said, my eyes more focused on the dead guy that seemed to cast casual glances in my direction. "Sure." Then, I coughed. Again. I felt sick, like really sick. I must be coming down with slightly creepy AP European History Teacher Mr. Fenderston called the Teenage Plague.

If I got really sick and was faced with the risk of death, would that mean that I wouldn't have to take the Algebra II test tomorrow?

"Ana, _please_ hear me out. Michael only had like four-maybe, seven- beers and like five shots. But that's not my main point. He wouldn't have had hardly any if your stupid family hadn't made you go home immediately after the game."

We shared a long, sorrowful look with each other of deep understanding. We both understood how deeply the latest injustice that my mom had committed against me after marrying the Step-Loser four years ago. Then, after a minute or less of a breath break, Isabella was back with her usual babble.

"Plus, he was just celebrating our victory over Union, which we haven't managed to beat in like a billion years. So I really don't see what's wrong with downing a couple of beers and just having a good time." She said, rolling her eyes as she caught a spark of annoyance in my eyes.

"He's my almost-boyfriend, not my boyfriend, and besides, its been 20 years since our last victory against Union and that's when a girl called Zoey Redbird was Chosen by a Tracker." I corrected. Sometimes, Isabella's math sense was so bad that even my horrid math skills made me feel like a nerd.

"Oh my gosh, _whatever_, its just some plain exaggeration. I mean like seriously, he was happy. Just give the boy a break once in a while."

I took a deep breath, " First off, that's like the fifth time he's come to school wasted. You'd feel the same way if your almost-boyfriend tried to kiss you and he smells like alcohol and it makes your mouth flood with the disgusting taste of it. I'm sorry, but whatever you're trying to persuade me into doing is not going to work plainly because he's hot. I don't want to go out with some guy that smells like alcohol and tries to chug a six-pack of beer every time that he wins a football game. Plus, he's going to end up fat from all those beers he chugs." I paused to cough. The dizziness that I had felt earlier today was starting to get worse. I took a deep breath and steadied myself.

This caused Isabella to scrunch her face up and shut her eyes, " _Ew_, Michael getting fat from all those beers is seriously gross, and not the kind of picture I wanted to see of him. But you have to admit, he is pretty hot."

I rolled my eyes, " But kissing him is like sucking on alcohol-soaked cotton balls that have been sitting around all day."

"That's sick." Isabella replied. " But you have to admit that he's still pretty hot for a guy his age."

I shook my head in annoyance at my friend's shallow incompetence. Sometimes she never understood some things.

Then, I managed to turn my head toward my locker again. Of course, the undead or unhuman guy was still leaning casually against it, which was just great. Then, he opened his mouth to speak and ceremonial words that sounded a lot like a weird mixture of chile and chocolate flowed out of his mouth.

"Ana Harrison! Night has chosen thee; thy death will be thy birth. Night calls to thee; hearken her sweet voice. Your destiny awaits at The House of Night!" Then, he pointed his creepily white, long finger at me. Of course, I passed out almost immediately. So typical of me.

When I woke up, I was lying in the nurse's office and Isabella was leaning over me with her eyes out like a bug. "You fainted, and you have that crescent moon…thing on your head." She stared at my forehead bug-eyed for a while.

Great, so now even my best friend thought I was a freak now. Not like I appreciated another person calling me a freak in this world.

"Does anybody else know?" I said, managing to sit up even though I had a splitting migraine that was bringing me more pain than Step-Loser arguing with me over some stupid thing that most normal parents would have completely ignored.

Isabella sighed, "It spread like wildfire. I'm so sorry, Ana. I wish you were in a better situation…but, now that it's already turned out like this then I guess we'll just have to deal with it. Now, listen carefully. I managed to take your car keys out of your purse, sorry about that, but I did pull your totally-cute 1994 Nissan Altima with its totally cute green stripe to the back. Since the nurse's office is located like, at the very back of the school I'm pretty sure that nobody will notice you exiting the building. Even though other people probably think of you as a real freak now, I never will. When you get to the House of Night, you can text me about your roommate and everything. We'll never stop being friends, and I'll never do anything stupid like drugs even though I know we won't have classes together anymore."

I nodded sadly, tears streaming down my face. "T-t-thanks, Isabella. I'm probably-no, most definitely- going to be kicked out of my make-believe perfect family now. Well, I better go before I cause more trouble here."

Isabella nodded. "Well, good luck at that new school of yours, and text me when you get there! Remember, I can house you if you want. Yea…it might be good if you go now." She said, casting nervous glances at the door.

I gathered my neatly stacked things and grabbed my phone. Thankfully, Isabella had already grabbed the things I needed out of my locker, so I could leave immediately. As I strode toward the back door, Isabella slipped in front of me, tears on her face.

"I just wanted to tell you that you've been my only friend through all our years together, and that I hope we can hang out even though you're going to that new private school downtown." She says, a glistening tear running down her face.

"We will." I said, slipping a piece of pale green Orbit® Sweet Mint gum into her hands and closing her slim hand around the piece. "I promise we will, no matter where I am, and what I am considered."

She nodded, and with a final farewell, I slipped out the back door to the back of the school. I sighed. Nobody was watching me, and my cute Altima with its green stripe sat waiting for me. I slipped through the unlocked door and started it up, waving goodbye to Isabella and promising to text her when I could. I started up my car and slipped away from my former school to the expensive house that I hated so much because of the People of Faith Step-Loser who lived there.

At least Isabella never thought I was a freak, and I don't think she would ever think in her right mind that I was a freak.

That's why we had been friends for so long, ever since we first met in middle school. Of course, we would always be friends no matter what happened. I knew that my difficulties had not yet ended as I listened to the radio on the way home.

I still had to face Step-Loser at home.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Chapter Two! Very happy about this fanfiction so far and hoping to continue it into the 20 to 30 chapter range if I can. Note that chapters will be published as soon as I have time to type up, and upload chapters onto . Now, same as before for those who have already read this fanfiction, sit back, relax, and enjoy the story!**

**~Sunny**

Chapter Two

When I got home, I nearly barreled into my mom and knocked her to the floor. I was that hysterical. Now that I think about it, I'm glad that I didn't accidently barrel her over. Step-Loser would have beaten my breath out of me.

If there was make-up in our house, I would have put some concealer over my sapphire blue Mark. But, of course, there isn't any makeup in our house because Step-Loser doesn't allow any type of make-up in our Big Expensive house. What an idiot. I mean, Who in their right mind doesn't allow girls to use make-up?

What happened next was pretty unfortunate. I was on my way to my spacious room to snatch my stuff and ran face first (quite accidently, that is) into Step-Loser's chest.

I stumbled back, opening my mouth to try and say sorry, but it was too late. He lifted me up by the front of my shirt and beat the breath out of me. Not like I was surprised. I was the "bad kid" in this family. Then, he shoved me into my room and slammed the door behind me. It was the most miserable thing that happened in my entire life. I sobbed for two to three hours after that happened, pressing a hot water bottle against my chest in an attempt to sooth the pain. Then, I made my final decision.

It was time to get the hell out of the family.

I felt glad that all my essentials were located in my massive suite-like room. I had my own restroom, laundry room, refrigerator, water boiler, pantry, bath (with a built-in Jacuzzi). Of course, my siblings also had similar rooms (courtesy of living in a Big Expensive house).

I dumped my school stuff out of my duffel-sized backpack. I didn't think I would need it anymore. The House of Night would probably have courses like Ripping People's Throats Out 101 and Learn to See in the Dark. I ran from room to room, grabbing toiletries, clothes, underwear, books, notebooks, pens, everything that I had in my fridge and pantry (which was mostly instant ramen), my favorite stuffed animal Cammy the Kst (Couldn't say cat when I was young), and basically everything that I found essential to starting my new life at the House of Night. I also slipped in photos of my sister and mother in case I started to miss them when I was away from this house.

Taking a deep breath, I looked around my rooms one final time. This was it. I was finally going to be free and away from Step-Loser for the rest of my life. I smiled as I pulled out my iPhone quickly, and checked the time, then walked around the massive set of rooms I once called mine for the last time.


End file.
